RNWMP: Bride for Theodore (Mail Order Mounties)(27)

Jess smiled up at Nolan, shaking her head. “I can’t see myself marrying a man just because he might fall in love with me for my cooking one day.”

Nolan sighed, taking a plate of pancakes and bacon from her. “It was worth a shot.” He studied the pancakes for a moment, set his plate on the work table, and swept Jess into an embrace, kissing her cheek. “You put raspberries in my pancakes. I think I am in love with you.”

Jess laughed, pushing Nolan away. “Go eat, you bottomless pit of a man!”

Theodore wanted to scream in pain when he saw his friend hugging Jess, but he had no right to say a word. She wasn’t his girl or even contemplating becoming his girl. Something had changed between them after she’d realized how remote the area was on Sunday, and he couldn’t change his assignment. He would have to forget about her, which would be a lot easier once he was no longer looking at her for three meals per day.

After breakfast, Theodore took the lunch Jess handed him, knowing she wouldn’t be eating with him. Again. Why she was being so contrary, he had no idea. He’d done what his mother had suggested and tried to talk to her. When she’d acted like he should understand her problem without ever telling him what that problem was, it had been the last straw for him.

He walked to the office, his head hanging. She was leaving tomorrow, and she was leaving angry with him. How on earth was he supposed to fight that?

When he got to the office he was surprised to see his four friends standing there, waiting for him. “You’re a fool,” Joel said. “She loves you. She wants to stay. All you have to do is ask her!” He grabbed his lunch and left the office, his boots loud in the quiet office.

Kendall took his turn next. “Please ask her to stay. She makes you happy. Well, she makes all of us happy, but the rest of us aren’t in love with her. And she doesn’t love anyone but you. She must be blind.” Then he was gone as well.

Theodore took his seat, rubbing his hands over his face. He was surprised at the anger in Kendall’s words. The younger man had always seemed to respect him. “I suppose you two are going to tell me the same thing?” he asked Elijah and Nolan.

“Nope,” Nolan answered. “I’m telling you now that if you don’t ask that woman to stay, you’ll be miserable for the rest of your life. And so will my stomach! She cooks extra for me! She’s absolutely the most wonderful thing that has ever stepped foot in Squirrel Ridge Station. Don’t let her go!”

Theodore sighed, his eyes going to Elijah. “And you? What are you going to say?”

“She’s smart. She’s funny. She’s feisty. She’s everything a man needs in a woman. And she’s so beautiful. How are you not on your knees right this second begging her to make you the happiest man alive? I promise you, if she goes, none of us are going to be fit to live with.” Elijah plopped his hat on his head and left the building, obviously too upset to say more.

Theodore rubbed his temples. They were all right. Every one of them. But how was he supposed to convince her to stay when she’d already made up her mind to go home?



Jess had sweat popping out on her brow as she pulled a berry pie from the oven. “That smells so good,” Miss Hazel said as she walked into the room. “Is that for supper tonight or is that for future suppers we won’t be here to share?”

“Oh, future suppers. I don’t want any more happy memories that have Theodore involved, so I’m going to bake a coconut cake for dessert tonight.”

“How will you not have a happy memory with coconut cake?” Miss Hazel asked, obviously confused.

“I hate coconut,” Jess said simply.

“So does Theodore, now that I think about it,” Miss Hazel said.

“Oh, good. That’s even better.”

Miss Hazel couldn’t help but laugh. “I shouldn’t be happy that you’re deliberately making something that my son hates, but I would do the same. I remember hoping my husband would choke on an apple pie once.”

Jess looked at Miss Hazel with surprise. “Why?”

“You know, I can’t even remember now. He’d done some little thing that annoyed me, and I was angry with him. After he died, I quit remembering the little annoyances and only remembered how good he was to me. I wish I’d done that sooner. I’ll always regret every minute I had with my husband when I was angry with him.”

“I should talk to Teddy, shouldn’t I?” Jess dreaded it. She’d been very angry with him, and she didn’t want to have to apologize. But she knew it was the right thing to do.

“I’ve thought you should for days now. You know that.”

“Maybe after I finish the baking, I’ll head over to the Mountie office.”

Miss Hazel smiled, clapping her hands. “I can’t believe you finally agreed!”



Theodore spent the morning trying to do the paperwork in front of him, but his mind wouldn’t leave Jess. Just before lunch time, he scrawled out a note for his Mountie buddies and left the office. He wasn’t sure which of his other congregations the pastor was visiting this week, but he was going to track him down. He couldn’t very well beg Jess to stay and marry him if he didn’t have a pastor ready to perform the ceremony.



When Jess got to the Mountie office that afternoon, she was surprised Theodore wasn’t there. In his place was a note that said, “I’ll be back tomorrow.” His signature was scrawled across the bottom.